Saturn Enters Capricorn 12/19/2017

On December 19th, 2017 at 11:48 p.m. EST Saturn will return to its home sign of Capricorn for the first time since February 6, 1991 (approximately 26 years ago).

Make no mistake about it this is a big deal. Why? Because it takes Saturn approximately 28 years to circle the zodiac so that one revolution of Saturn around the Sun is roughly equal to a generation of people growing to maturity, and growing up, either literally or figuratively, is always a big deal. There are also many who believe Saturn is the most powerful of the planets, due in large part to the fact that the evidence seems to show Mr. Saturn consistently changes the energies of the other archetypes more than they appear to cramp his style. That he’s returning now to his home turf simply means Saturn should be that much more powerful over the next 3 years. As a result, it’s likely we’ll witness the chickens coming home to roost in a great many situations where irresponsible behavior and/or outright neglect have created problems that can no longer be ignored.

The standard interpretation of the Saturnian archetype is that it represents authority in all its forms. Your parents, teachers, coaches, government officials, anyone with a title, a badge, or a uniform, from your boss at work to the President of the United States, are all examples of the Saturn energy. He is also symbolic of the society at large, in fact according to the Greeks, during the Golden Age of Man Saturn was the King of the Gods who ruled the earth like a strict father before his more liberal son Zeus forcibly usurped the throne.

On a personal level Saturn is cold, harsh, analytical, oppressive, and rigid. Although to his credit he can also be fair, diligent, strong, organized, efficient, and insightful. In my weekly horoscopes entitled Mr. Saturn’s Stars I like to portray him as being snarky, sarcastic, smart, wise, eloquent, and cool like Clint Eastwood when Dirty Harry decides to shoot someone down with a one liner instead of a bullet from his 44 Magnum.

The bottom line is that Saturn has no patience with bullshit in any form. When he arrives in an area of your natal chart Saturn’s transit will bring about change and restructuring according to what is best for the overall truth and balance of the situation. Saturn does not care one iota for your comfort zone or, for that matter, the illusions of a society that has fallen out of balance or become self-destructive. For the United States this is especially poignant, as over the last year we have watched our Democracy erode under the pressure of greed and special interests to the point where we seriously face the possibility of losing many of the rights and powers our nation’s founders thought to be “self-evident.”

Saturn and the U.S. in 2017

Our 45th President was elected when the Sun was in Scorpio trine Neptune (power, secrecy, illusion) and Saturn was in late Sagittarius trine Uranus. During that time the passion of rebellion against the status quo represented by idealistic Uranus (and manipulated by #45 in his Presidential campaign) served to obscure and somewhat miss-direct Saturn’s usual sense of objective responsibility, which was significantly compromised by the Planet of Structure’s position in the wooly and often self-absorbed sign of Sagittarius. In other words, the propensity of the Sag energy to believe whatever it wants was in full bloom when a shady Real Estate developer was elected to our country’s highest office instead of someone we thought would drain the swamp of corruption in Washington D.C.. Now that Saturn is returning to its well-structured and austere home of Capricorn it will seem much more in character, like a ruthlessly efficient cop who has been summoned to answer a complaint about the out of control frat party currently going on in the White House. Mark my words, in 2018 Saturn will be kicking asses and taking names.

For the remainder of 2017 Saturn’s aspects will serve more as table setters rather than providing a meal of any real substance. Other than aspects to a Lunar Arc of Pisces, Aries, and Taurus, the only major planet Saturn will meet with before the New Year will be when it conjuncts Venus on Christmas Day. Enjoy your illusions and comforts while you can, the Revolution will be coming soon enough and this time it will be televised!

Saturn’s Aspects to the Major Planets in 2018

(Excluding the Moon) as it transits from 1- 11 degrees Capricorn

January- The only aspect Saturn will have this month is a conjunction with Mercury in Capricorn (Jan 12). Communications around this time will be pragmatic, practical, and limited to the facts. This is a good time to put together a business strategy, though the downside might be a decided lack of imagination or adventure. There will be a tendency during the couple of days that surround this aspect for people and organizations to be real sticklers regarding rules and regulations.

February- During this month Saturn will have its craggy shoreline washed 3 times by planets transiting through the watery sign of Pisces. On the 16th a Venus/Moon conjunction in the sign of the fishes will represent a decidedly humanitarian energy filled with compassion and peacefulness as it looks to Saturn for both institutional support and protection. Between the 21st and the 26th Mercury and the Sun will both aspect Saturn and perhaps attempt some sleight of hand designed to soften (or perhaps even confuse) the planet of structure. This is also a time during which people could become more vocal than usual about their feelings.

March- During this month Saturn will begin a series of recurring aspects with Mercury that will extend over the next 4 months. A square to Mercury in Aries On the 10th, followed by another square to Venus in Aries on the 13th and to the Sun in Aries on the 29th , could make this a month of ongoing disagreements as the aggressive ram impetuously squares off against Capricornian structure. Tradition will likely hold sway here against any rebellious or renegade influences trying to influence the status quo, however, in true Aries style expect whatever the topic is to be revisited next month during Mercury retrograde.

April- This will be Mr. Saturn’s busiest month as he engages in 6 major aspects as well as going station/retrograde on the 17th. The first aspect is a conjunction with Mars on the 2nd, which could initially represent an obstacle or a very restrictive influence, especially since Mercury retrograde in Aries, revisiting the square from last month, will follow it on the 5th. A trine of Saturn conjunct the Moon to Venus in Taurus on the 7th should offer some much needed stability, changing the previously mentioned Mars/Saturn aspect from one where things seemed to be stuck to that of a more flowing situation where matters will instead feel more solid and organized. A third square between Saturn (now retrograde) and Mercury in Aries (now direct) will occur on the 25, followed by a trine to the Sun in Taurus on the 29th. The ongoing debate between Mr. Saturn and Mercury should be mostly sorted out by this time as the initial push and pull between the Ram and the Goat has, for the time being, transformed into a new understanding that should allow both of these Creatures to board a symbolic “Noah’s Arc” of temporary agreement as it sails off toward next month’s challenges.

May- The only aspect Mr. Saturn will have this month is a trine to Mercury in Taurus on the 18th. The upheaval between Saturn and Mercury of the previous month seems to have stabilized for the time being, although this is probably because a rather myopic and comfort oriented Mercury in Taurus just doesn’t want to rock the boat right now.

June- Mr. Saturn has a pair of aspects this month. The first is an opposition to emotional Mercury in Cancer on the 15th and the second is an opposition to the Sun in Cancer on the 27th. While Cancer is a sign associated with nurturing and the home, it can also be quite a combative sign (like its totem the Crab) if its well being or home base is in any way threatened. With this month’s aspects we are offered a classic illustration of the differences between emotional attachment and emotional detachment. For example, where Mercury had been aggressive when it initially squared Mr. Saturn from Aries, now it is on the defensive as it opposes him from sensitive and protective Cancer.

July- This is another month where Mr. Saturn has only one aspect and it is a sextile to Venus in Virgo on the 14th. In the harsher aspects between Mr. Saturn and the Goddess of Love such as a square or an opposition, Saturn will restrict the charisma and attractiveness of Venus, however, in a more flowing aspect such as a sextile or trine the two will combine for stability and longevity although the romance usually associated with Venus can often be lost. It should also be kept in mind that in the sign of Virgo Venus is the Virgin, meaning that even thought this is a flowing aspect Saturn will still remain a restrictive and controlling influence. As a result, in this situation the relationship between these two will be more like that of a father and daughter rather than as equal partners.

August- The aspects this month begin on the 11th with a square to Venus in Libra, a more progressive and liberated sign than the Goddess of Love was in last month in Virgo. Now a suffragette rather than a virgin, Venus will have her work cut out for her as she challenges Mr. Saturn who, as previously cited, will try to restrict her like a chaperone or a father. On the 13th Saturn will enter into an extended trine with a retrograde Uranus in Taurus that will last for approximately the next month. While Saturn and Uranus are essentially opposite energies (structure and rebellion respectively) the fact that they they are each in an earth sign would serve to elevate their interaction above that of mere confrontation or rebellion to something more along the lines evolution and transformation. The last aspect Mr. Saturn will have this month is a trine to the Sun in Virgo on the 25th, likely representing a fact finding mission intent on stabilizing any advancements currently going on with futuristic Uranus.

September- After Mr. Saturn ends his retrograde period and goes direct on the 5th, the first conversation he will have this month consists of a flowing trine with pragmatic Mercury in Virgo on the 7th. The element of earth common to both of the signs these planets are transiting through should make this a productive and flowing relationship as the troubleshooting abilities of Mercury in Virgo are well suited to the stability of Saturn in Capricorn. The next aspect for Mr. Saturn is a sextile to a Femme Fatale Venus in Scorpio on the 12th. The common element between the participants here is a desire for control as we see a manipulative and desirous Feminine energy harmonizing with a dominant masculine one. Together both of these “A” types should get what they each want (at least for now). The extended trine between Saturn and Uranus retrograde that has gone on for the past month will end for the time being on the 14th. At this point we have seen the seeds for new structures officially sown, leaving it now up to time and tide to show us how these seeds may grow in the future. Mr. Saturn will aspect Mercury once again this month on the 23rd, although this time the messenger planet will be in the balanced sign of Libra. It is likely Mr. Saturn will get his way in this situation, but not without an eloquent and balanced Mercury raising some annoying (and likely true) counter points. The last aspect of the month will be a square with the Sun in Libra on the 25th. Where earlier Mr. Saturn could pull rank over the objections of pesky Mercury in Libra, the Sun in Libra would represent another matter entirely. Here the planet of structure must acknowledge some necessary compromises with an equally strong energy like the Sun if the situation is to grow and be a benefit to all who are involved.

October- We are now in the season of Scorpio and during this month Mr. Saturn will be conversing with three major planets in the sign of death and transformation. The first is Mercury on the 12th, who as a keeper of confidences and secrets in this sign, likely has some information to benefit Mr. Saturn. The second aspect will be another encounter with Venus as the Femme Fatale on the 24th, although this time she will be in retrograde and likely want to revisit the conditions of their steamy (and power driven) alliance from the previous month. The final meeting for Mr. Saturn in October will be with the Sun on the 27th. This is power brokering pure and simple and Mr. Saturn will be expected to deliver on anything he promised in good faith to the Sun in Libra last month.

November– Mr. Saturn has one aspect this month and it will be with his chief strategist, General Mars, in the intuitive and visionary sign Pisces on the 28th. Usually known as the Planet of Structure, Saturn can also be about expansion as well. Not in a broad and dramatic fashion like Jupiter, or in an explosive way like Uranus, but slow and steady like a glacier representing the coming of a new age. Look for Mr. Saturn to reinforce his interests this month as he brainstorms with Mars and prepares for his final meeting at the end of the year with Venus dressed up as a black widow in Scorpio.

December- Mr. Saturn’s last meeting in 2018 will be with a now direct Venus in Scorpio on December 16th. Like Mr. and Mrs. Frank Underwood in House of Cards, this union of Mr. Saturn with the darker side of Venus is all about power and intrigue. This may sound ominous, but not to worry. As the year closes and we see the corrupt, old guard dug up and the seeds for a new, progressive order sown, it is important for Mr. Saturn to come to terms with this deliciously corrupt Lady in order for the transition of power to be effective. To help in understanding this interaction of Saturn with Venus, it would do well to consider the sage advice of the venerable Master Yoda when he advised the young Luke Skywalker of the practical need to “embrace his dark side.”